Planned Parenthood improperly received $80 million in virus funds — Republicans demand they give it back

Affiliates of abortion provider Planned Parenthood improperly applied for and received $80 million in coronavirus relief funds, and Republicans are demanding they give back the money.

The report from Fox News says that 37 affiliates received the funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), despite the abortion provider being explicitly blocked from doing so.

The affiliates are being contacted by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in an attempt to warn them of possible fines and explaining why they were ineligible for the funding.

The largest allotment of coronavirus funds was $7.5 million for the Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties in California.

After the report from Fox News was published, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) released a statement condemning the abortion provider and demanding the money be given back.

"There is no ambiguity in the legislation that passed or public record around its passage that organizations such as Planned Parenthood, whose parent organization has close to half a billion dollars in assets, is not eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program," said Rubio, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

"Those funds must be returned immediately," he added.

Rubio also called for an investigation into the violations of the PPP loan regulations.

"Furthermore, the SBA should open an investigation into how these loans were made in clear violation of the applicable affiliation rules and if Planned Parenthood, the banks, or staff at the SBA knowingly violated the law all appropriate legal options should be pursued," he concluded.

Whatever happens with the PPP violators, they may receive a further windfall if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) succeeds with planned legislation that would make additional funding available to the abortion provider.